Call 911 when someone is in danger right now, when a crime is happening, or when there is a fire or a medical emergency. Call the non emergency number when you need the police but nobody is in immediate danger and nothing is in progress.
That one sentence covers most situations. The rest of this page is for the cases that are not obvious.
If you are not sure which one to use, call 911. Dispatchers are trained to redirect calls, and you will not get in trouble for calling 911 in good faith about something that turns out to be minor. Hesitating is the bigger risk.
Call 911
- A crime is happening right now, or just happened and the person involved is still nearby.
- Someone is injured, unconscious, or in danger.
- You see a fire, or you smell gas or smoke.
- A vehicle crash with injuries, or one blocking traffic in a way that puts people at risk.
- You need an ambulance.
- You are watching something unfold and you think it could turn dangerous in the next few minutes.
Call the non emergency number
- A theft, burglary or vandalism that already happened, with no suspect nearby.
- A vehicle crash with no injuries and no blocked road.
- Noise complaints, barking dogs, parking problems.
- Abandoned vehicles, or a car that has been sitting somewhere suspiciously for days.
- Following up on a report you already filed, or asking for a copy of one.
- Asking an administrative question: property release, records, how to reach a specific officer or unit.
The test that actually works
Forget how serious the situation feels and ask yourself two questions: is anyone in danger right now, and is it still happening. If either answer is yes, call 911. If both are no, the non emergency line is the right choice, and using it keeps 911 free for the calls that cannot wait.
A burglary is a serious crime, but if it happened last night and the burglar is long gone, it is a non emergency call. Someone trying a door handle in your yard right now is a 911 call, even though nothing has been stolen yet. The difference is time and danger, not how bad the crime sounds.
What to have ready before you dial
- Where. The exact address, or the nearest cross streets. This is the first thing you will be asked, and it decides which agency handles the call.
- What and when. A short factual description and the time. Say immediately if the person involved has already left.
- Who. Descriptions, and vehicle and plate if you have them. Say whether anyone is hurt and whether a weapon was seen.
- Your callback number, in case the line drops.
Speak in plain facts and let the call taker ask the questions. They are typing while you talk, and the order of their questions is designed to get help moving as early as possible.
A note on 311 and online reporting
Some large cities route non emergency calls through 311 instead of a seven digit police line: Chicago and Las Vegas are two well known examples. Many departments also let you file reports online for minor incidents with no suspect information, such as theft from a vehicle, lost property or vandalism. If your city offers it, it is usually faster than waiting on hold.
Find your local number
Every agency publishes its own non emergency line, and they are all different. You can look up your city in our directory to get the number, the address and the official website of the department that covers you. Every number we list has been checked against the agency’s own website.